And then the magic happens.

I always said that the minute my yard started acting like a Disney movie, it would be time to rethink living here.

About a half hour ago I went outside to see if I could coax my cat, Klondike, back inside for the night (we play this game every night). I wandered the yard calling for her, couldn't find her, so I went around the back to hang out for a while on our big porch swing. Sat down, started swinging back and forth, and when I opened my eyes there were four raccoon cubs moving toward me. They got pretty close, sat around me in a semi-circle the whole time I was swinging. One of them is very brave and got to within about a foot of my feet. I told them to meet me around at the front of the house and I'd feed them, and when I got up they all wandered off.

Sure enough, by the time I got back around to the front they were all there waiting to be fed. Often at night I'll look outside the front door to find two or three of them curled up on the front mat, sleeping with their heads on their paws like dogs. The mama is the shyest and lest you think I'm stupid, no, I don't pet them because I don't want them that used to people (not to mention I don't want them to bite me). But they sure are cute as can be.

As a bonus, when I turned around from feeding the raccoons, Klondike was right there waiting to be let inside. I think I'll keep my yard, Disney soundtrack and all.

(I feel much better than I did before I went out there.)

(no subject)

Reposting from hfleming8:

Hogwarts Finally Hooks Up the Internet

Thanks for the laugh, Hez, and anyone who's ever been a Harry Potter fan should go look. Be sure to click on all the images.